Archive for February 2004

When hosting a party, do not serve your guests bourbon and coke in a wax paper bucket designed for holding chips. Not only do they begin to leak after about 5 minutes, but your guests may find themselves with disgusting wax stuck to the roof of their mouths.

In commemoration of Michael Bolton’s 50th birthday today, I recommend that all readers go and rent Office Space. And, in commemoration of what would have been Johnny Cash’s 72nd birthday, treat yourself to a bottle of bourbon while you’re at it.

POLICE are urging motorists to lock their car doors as routinely as they fasten their seatbelts in a bid to ensure they are not victims of violent carjackings.

Acting Insp. Mike Gough said yesterday that motorists should also be aware of their surroundings and people who appeared to be stranded, amid growing fears that Johannesburg-style carjackings could be increasing in Perth.[…]

In the latest carjacking, the son of a Koondoola newsagent shot three times last month during an armed robbery was held at knifepoint on Monday before thieves stole $9000 from him.

About three weeks earlier, members of an African street gang armed with guns and knives were behind a carjacking spree during which a female driver of one car was abducted, a male driver of another car bashed, and several cars rammed.

Air Transport World selected the airline, praising its focus on excellence in the air and its higher profit margins despite industry instability caused by world events such as the SARS outbreak and September 11.

It’s amazing what being a federally protected monopoly and skimping on basic standards of service will do for your bottom line, eh? A more likely explanation for the good result is that the award was voted by Qantas employees, who have a great little scam going…

Crikey reports that the rorting is reaching the point where staff are making fake bookings in order to reserve seats for themselves on flights:

It seems like the staff at Qantas are expressing their unhappiness through misuse of staff travel. Check out this memo that went out to staff on Monday afternoon:

Message – Breaches of Staff Travel Policy

Due to several recent incidents, I would like to remind all employees that the following practices are serious breaches of Staff Travel Policy:

2. Manipulation of the staff travel onload/upgrade priority in the reservations or departure control systems.

3. Travel by a beneficiary who is no longer eligible for staff travel but holds a ticket issued before eligibility status was removed.

4. Adding, as a travel beneficiary, a person who has been dismissed from Qantas, or is currently suspended from the use of Staff Travel.

Perhaps resident Qantas shill “Mike” can let us all know how things are going down there and how it’s really just all a big media beat up. And that Qantas is the best airline in the world and anyone who says otherwise is just a whinger.

A short discussion has led to an in principle agreement on the 5 best PC games of all time, as decided by myself and a few other ratbags. If you are stuck for something to do one day, you wouldnt be far wrong to get onto Kazaa and download one of these. You know, just for backup purposes.

It came out around 1992, and the only thing that surpasses it to this day are the updated versions (Specifically “X-Wing vs Tie Fighter”, which is still one of the most played online games). You get to blow up the deathstar at the end.

The first real-time strategy game, about 5 years ahead of its time. I never read or was at all interested in the Frank Herbert series, but this game was too engrossing and atmospheric to ignore. It spawned 1000 imitations, many of which (like Warcraft and Command and Conquer) sit at the top of most game countdowns. The entire game is only about 5 MB. I suggest you download it and try it yourself.

I’m not sure what it is about this game that makes it so addictive. Possibly it’s the gambling aspect. The rush you get when a horde of halflings decides to join your party is like injecting something straight into your eyeball.